Hospital discharge: a checklist for families
The first days after a hospital stay are the most vulnerable. A checklist for families: the therapy plan, the medication list, equipment, home care – and what to do if it is not safe to go home.
In short
- Ask early in the stay when discharge is expected, and ask to be part of the discharge conversation.
- If your parent needs therapy to regain strength, make sure there is a written plan and that you know who starts it, and when.
- See that equipment, home care and medication are ready the day they come home, not the day after.
- If it is not safe to go home, say so clearly and ask about a short-term rehabilitation or respite stay.
Many hospital stays are short, and discharge can come sooner than you expect. For an older person going home to an everyday life that no longer works as it did, the first days at home are often the most vulnerable. This checklist is about what you as family can do to make the move go well.
While your parent is in the hospital
- Get permission in place. Staff must keep patient information confidential. Ask your parent to tell the unit that they may inform you and that you may join conversations.
- Describe everyday life before. Staff only see your parent in a hospital bed. Tell them about stairs, the bathroom, who lives at home, and what your parent managed alone. It affects what has to be ready.
- Ask about the expected discharge. When, and what has to be in place first? Then you have time to prepare the home.
- Ask for a discharge conversation that you can join, in person, by phone or by video. The discharge planner, case manager or hospital social worker is the person to ask for.
The checklist before discharge
The hospital usually passes the discharge on to whoever provides care at home. But messages get lost, and you are the ones who know the home. Go through the list with the unit:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Has home care been told? | The home care or home nursing service needs to know when your parent comes home, and what they need from day one. |
| Is there a therapy plan? | Without a plan, physical or occupational therapy can be delayed. Ask who contacts you about starting. |
| What has changed in the medication? | Ask for an updated medication list. Check what is new, what has stopped, and that there is enough at home for the first days. |
| What equipment is needed? | A walker, raised toilet seat, shower chair or hospital bed should be delivered before your parent comes home. |
| How do they get home? | Settle the transport, and whether someone should be there to receive them. |
| What follow-up is planned? | Note follow-up appointments, blood tests, and when their own doctor should see them. |
| Who do you call? | Get a number for the unit for the first days, and for home care in case something goes wrong. |
| What will you have to do yourselves? | If you are expected to change dressings, give injections or help with moving, ask staff to show you before you leave. |
The therapy plan
Therapy after a hospital stay works best when it starts early. Ask for the plan in writing: what kind of therapy, how often, where, and who arranges it. In many European countries the municipality or the health service takes over from the hospital. In the US it is usually a home health agency or a rehabilitation facility, ordered by the doctor.
If you have not heard from anyone within a couple of days of coming home, call and ask.
If it is not safe to go home
The hospital discharges when hospital treatment is no longer needed, which is not always when someone is ready to manage alone. If you are worried about how it will go at home, say so clearly to the unit and ask to speak to the doctor in charge. Ask whether your parent can have a short-term stay, for example in a rehabilitation or respite facility, until they are strong enough to go home.
Most health systems have a way to challenge a discharge you believe is too early. In the US, as of 2026, a patient on Medicare has the right to ask for a fast review of the discharge decision; the notice the hospital hands out explains how. Elsewhere, ask the hospital's patient advocate or complaints service.
The first week at home
- Medication: see that the new medication is taken, and that old medication that has been stopped is put away.
- Falls: remove loose rugs and cords, and make sure there is light at night on the way to the toilet.
- Food and drink: many older people eat and drink too little after a hospital stay. Agree who checks the fridge.
- Signs that something is wrong: fever, new confusion, shortness of breath, or a marked turn for the worse. Call their doctor or the out-of-hours service, and if life is at risk, 911 (US) or 112 (EU).
- The help: does home care come as agreed? Does the help match the need? Say so early if not.
Tip: Write it down
Discharge conversations move fast, and a lot is said. Take notes, or bring someone else. Write down medication changes, appointments and phone numbers somewhere the rest of the family can see them too.
If this is the first time your parent needs help, also read what to do when your aging parent suddenly needs help.
How LumaCare can help
With LumaCare the whole family has the same overview of medication, appointments and what has happened when your mother or father comes home.
- Enter the new medication list and get reminders, so nothing is forgotten or given twice.
- Keep therapy, follow-ups and visits in one shared calendar.
- Write down what you notice along the way, so you can answer precisely when the doctor asks.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Hospitals and care services organize discharges differently, so always ask the unit how they do it.